Familiar Stranger
by olin
Summary: [ByakuyaxHisana] 'Till death do us part'... but what about 'Till life do us part? Maybe the two of them are destined to be together? Or maybe Fate is just playing a prank on them? Chapter 4 finally up a miracle! XD
1. Chapter 1

_Title:_ Familiar Unkown  
_Pairing:_ ByakuyaxHisana  
_Genre:_ Drama  
_Takes place:_ … I suck at this. Just think of something. Please. (Maybe after the SS arc)  
_Comments:_ Ha! Finally. I'm not working with my own characters, since I always mess them up in semi-dramatic, annoying, twisted and complicated stories – mostly around Urahara.  
No sir, now comes a break.  
I'm trying to rely on the original characters as much as I can, and avoid OCCness. Sorry if there'll be a bit, tough. I'm trying hard.  
…  
_Yay for Bya husbandness:3_

_Listening to:_Chobits – Ningyo Hime (this is soooo being Hisana's chara song…)

* * *

'Byakuya-sama… My deepest apologies… I just…' 

'Yes?'

Byakuya turned around slowly as a woman from his division stepped to him. She was obviously very nervous, because she was clenching her fists and staring at the floor with a troubled expression.  
Byakuya was already familiar with such behavior; in fact, he expected it from all of his underlings – which wasn't very surprising since he _was_ from noble blood.

The woman – maybe 11th or 12th officer – was one of the officers who just returned from the real world, where they had a minor mission. Mostly Byakuya didn't care about cases like these, and didn't even bother to speak about them with his underlings. Knowing this, it's easier to understand the slight surprise Byakuya felt when the woman adressed him – he didn't show it though. He couldn't afford that.

'Byakuya-sama… it's… a bit… complicated… to tell this to you…' she muttered, blushing, but he didn't have patience to wait any longer for her.

'I do not have the time for your lack of expressivesness' he said coldly, and turned around to go back to his office and finish the paperwork. The girl stood there for seconds, clenching her teeth and saying nothing; then she suddenly raised her head and said – maybe a bit too loud and slightly offending:

'Byakuya-sama, I saw Hisana-sama in the real world!'

He stopped – but didn't respond for a long, long time. The woman had a feeling that time froze around her; the few people, who were carrying papers and new uniforms all stopped when hearing how she spoke to the captain. Most of them didn't even catch, what she was talking about – they were too young to know Hisana – and thought that the 6th Division captain stood still from the shock, and was thinking about a proper punishment for the insolent woman. And there were others too, for whom the name 'Hisana' meant something; but they couldn't believe their ears. Hisana was dead for fifty years now – and she didn't even have much reiatsu even when she was alive – it seemed totally impossible for her to be in the real world; they thought that the female officer only said this to get the captain's attention.

Byakuya, in fact, thought the same for a short moment. He already let go of poor, innocent Hisana. This didn't mean that he didn't think about her and that he didn't talk to her picture on the Buddha altar every single day – he only accepted that she was dead, and didn't feel that gripping in his throat when he was all alone at night, lying on his futon, staring into the blackness.

But now, for a moment, something in the back of his head said: It's true! Hisana has really come back!

Emotions rushed into his head, so many, and all of them more vivid than he could handle; he just stood there for a long, long time, not moving a muscle. How could he possibly react to something like that… He just stared at the long corridor but he didn't see it – he was picturing Hisana in his mind, curious whether he could still remember the fragrance of her skin, the smoothness of her lips, the light begging for love in her eyes…

_Hisana. Hisana, Hisana, Hisana_ – he thought, as he realized that he could remember the woman as if they had parted just a moment and not fifty years ago. And those fiery feelings just kept rising in him, making his palm sweat and his head spin. Never had anything like this occurred to him in the past fifty years, no wonder he couldn't react properly.

After several minutes, he finally turned around and looked at the woman.

'Come with me, officer' he said, his voice hoarse for some reason 'We have to talk about this last mission.'

And, formal as always, he walked away, leaving everyone sure that he wasn't concerned in the matter at all.  
Because nobody knew how sweaty his palms were and how fast his heart pounded as he walked towards his office.

_To be continued…_

_I'__m trying to write a serious drama here, so hope you Bya/ByaHisa-fans'll all enjoy it! Please look forward to the upcoming chapters, and comment, if you would!_

_Arigato godzaimasu!_


	2. Chapter 2

_Oh my, thank you for all the reviews, and advices, I'll try my best, I promise!_

_And sorry for the possible grammar errors – I'm trying hard but I guess I can't help it that I'm not English – so please bear with me and enjoy this long-awaited new chapter!_

He would never leave his office for weeks after this incident. The only place he'd gone visiting was Soul Society's huge library spending hours there; and nobody knew what exactly he was researching.  
Then, one day that didn't seem special at all, Byakuya stepped to Renji, and calmly said:

"I am going to attend some matters in the outside world." But before Renji could get up to escort him, he continued "Your assistance will not be needed this time. I am going to take twelfth seat Chiyo Asugai with me."

Renji made a face as he heard the rank "I think I misheard something, Taichou."

"You did not. And I expect from you that you keep order while I am away."

"Of course, taichou!" now the redhead stood up and bowed "We're all waiting for your return!"

* * *

"Byakuya-taichou, you think Commander Captain Genryuusai really believed our story?" the black haired Chiyo muttered puzzled while the two of them waited for the gate to the real world to open. 

"You _did_ leave that gikongan there, did you not, twelfth seat?" hearing his cold voice, she shivered and nodded several times.

You know, Soul Society's library is sure something. You can even find books that are maybe even older than Yamamoto-sama. Thus a few of them containing old, really old laws were long forgotten – and Byakuya, as one of the noble Kuchiki clan knew this perfectly.  
He searched and searched for an excuse, an old law that allowed him to go to the real world – for he didn't want to break the rules of Soul Society, especially not for a mere _hope_ of seeing Hisana again.  
And one day, after a long search, he found it in an ancient book; this law allowed a captain to stay in the real world for not more than 36 hours when one of his underlings had been wounded, or if a shinigami looses an important – or dangerous – object from Soul Society in the real world.

But there was a problem: none of his underlings was wounded during their last mission, and he knew of nobody who would've left something there either.  
Strangely, one day, Chiyo – the woman, who told him she saw Hisana – came to him and wanted to talk to him in private. It turned out that she had been studying the books as well, and offered Byakuya, that she'd accept a minor mission, just to loose something not-so-important, but still kind-of-dangerous, like… like a soul candy!

"And why would you help me?" Byakuya stood up after he listened to her plan "I do not wish for you to commit a crime – for this is a serious crime indeed. I would have to punish you if you truly did such a thing, officer."

"I know" she nodded, trying to control that overwhelming embarrassment that struck her when she realized she wanted to drive Byakuya-taichou into cheating "But… to be honest, Captain, I want to see Hisana-sama as well."

He did not reply for a long time, but the silence frustrated her even more, so she started to explain:

"Maybe the Captain… no, I'm sure that the Captain can't remember me, but I was a maid at the Kuchiki house when the Captain married Hisana-sama. We, the maids… well, we all loved her, because she was so charming and treated us as equals… and I…"

"I do not wish to hear more." Byakuya broke her off "I only want to know whether I can trust you, officer."

"Yes, of course, Captain!"

* * *

Byakuya thought about how enthusiastic she was back there, but now, when a two-month suspension awaited her from her job as a shinigami, and she was even ranked down to fifteenth officer she didn't seem as lively. But she didn't say a word of complaint either; Byakuya assumed that she had her mind set in helping him – but he was no fool to blindly trust her. He also knew that every single one in his division was a bit afraid of him; and even when this woman would betray him, he'd find a way to make her life as a shinigami as miserable as it gets. 

As they entered a gate, his heart suddenly started to beat faster by the minute. He knew that he only had a few hours to find the person he was looking for – he never even considered staying longer than this.  
As he and Asugai stepped outside the gate, a cool evening breeze blew across their hair, carrying the scent of flowers. The sun had almost set by now, but there were still a few people walking down the little street in which they stood – but of course, these people couldn't see them.

"It's nearby" Asugai said "Just a few blocks away. Please follow me, Captain."

He nodded and followed the woman who led him towards a bigger street, then across a park, only to end up in a quite small alley.

"This is it! It must be! The hollow appeared right there" said Asugai and pointed to the top of a building "I remember the signs… and there's the store too…! Look, look, Captain!"

But he was already looking that way; it was a small flower shop, with dozens of vases full of colorful flowers in front of it. Since it was almost closing time, a young woman was taking the vases inside the shop, quietly humming while doing her job.

Byakuya was stunned as he realized how much the woman looked like his precious Hisana. Her hair, the sad expression, the gentle, fragile arms that now carried those heavy-looking vases… Byakuya could't do or say anything – he was afraid that when he'd only move one muscle, he'd wake up in his bed all alone and realize that all this was just a dream. But even if it was a dream, he was so longing to dream a little bit longer!

But then the woman lifted a vase full of plum branches, some of them already blossomed. As she lifted the vase and one of the flowers touched her face, Byakuya's feet moved on their own. This was the same kind of flower which was blooming when Hisana died… this… this was really her… really Hisana!

"Hisana" he muttered under his breath, almost reaching out for her. He remembered the moment she had lost her so vividly; but at the same time it felt like a bad dream, which he had dreamt for fifty years now… However, as he stepped to her and slowly raised his hand to touch her, she looked up at him a bit puzzled. Then suddenly, a wide smile appeared on her face and her eyes sparkled in that charming, distant light that made her whole being so attractive, although her expression was almost always sad.

She looked at him with utter happiness, and said:

"I was already waiting for you."

Byakuya wanted to say something, but the words just couldn't find a hold in his mind, he only felt that hated gripping in his throat more than ever.

"Were you, Hatsumi? I'm sorry." Byakuya froze as he heard the unfamiliar man's voice behind him. Quickly turning around, he noticed a black-haired man standing behind him. He was in his twenties, with deep blue eyes and an attractive appearance. An awful thought came into Byakuya's mind as his eyes widened and looked at Hisana once more.

She wasn't at all looking at him.

She was looking at the young man.

She couldn't even see him, for she was only a mere human right now.

Byakuya could have given anything to be able to awake from this horrible nightmare.

_To be continued…_

_I think I crossed that imaginary line of OOCness :P I hope it isn't that bad, though (you people tell me if it is!!!). I'm going to work hard on the next chapter!!!_


	3. Chapter 3

_Again, thank you for all the reviews, I'm so happy every time one of you submits one!__ It's a bit hard for me to get any inspiration nowadays, but as you can see, I managed to come up with another chapter:) Pleas enjoy!_

_Listening to: SEAL – Kiss from a Rose (omg this is such a BiyaHisa song…)_

* * *

"I've been already waiting for you."

"Were you, Hatsumi? Sorry I'm late, you know, the paperwork…" the young man placed his hand on the back of his head, smiling.

She smiled back, with her cute and sad smile "It's alright, Masato-san."

"Hatsumi, stop calling me Masato-san! We're getting married in three month's time, it's finally time you start calling me Takumi! Hey, let me help you with that" and stepping to her, he took the vase from the woman, but looked back before carrying it into the store "Come on, say it!"

The black-haired woman bowed her head and didn't say anything for a long, long time.

"I am sorry, Masato-san, I just… can't do that. Masato-san is just Masato-san…" she muttered politely after the pause; the man tsked in response.

"Come on, Hatsumi. You're acting like I'm some kind of evil lord who wants to force you to be my bride. It was our decision, wasn't it…? If you don't want the marriage anymore, tell me…"

"No, no, it's not that" Hatsumi looked up, blushing "I would never think about that. It's just…"

* * *

Byakuya turned away, and left them with a deep sigh. For a few seconds, he really thought he'd found Hisana; but now he had to face the fact he was aware of in the back of his head the whole time: this woman was certainly not Hisana any more.

It wasn't really a special thing seeing her here, considering that there was a balance between Soul Society and the living world: people who died came to Soul Society and if they had to face death there too, they'd be sent back to be reborn in the real world. The problem was, while a few souls in Soul Society still had some memories of their past life, and often the soul had the same character in the afterworld too; but when a soul is reborn, all memories, and even the character, vanishes. In this case a new person is born, who still has to live his life and then his afterlife as well.

Normally, it'd take sixty years for an average human soul to be reborn; but that wasn't the case with that woman there. Byakuya had this vague feeling that she truly possessed the soul of his late wife – but it was too risky to try and find out whether this was really Hisana's spirit. Even if it was; this woman, Hatsumi, is someone completely different by now, having a fiancé and all… Byakuya knew that there was a certain line he could not cross, still, this thought kept bothering him.

* * *

"We're leaving."

"Yes, Taichou." Chiyo bowed her head as she heard the cold command and hurried ahead to open the gate back to Soul Society. Byakuya didn't hurry – he wanted to calm down first, and to catch a last glimpse of this woman, who looked so much like Hisana. He slowly turned around and looked at the talking couple.  
_She's just as polite as Hisana was._ Yes, Hisana never called him simply "Byakuya", she always added the "-sama" after his name.  
_So, they're getting married…?_ He remembered his marriage; it was traditional but quite simple; he remembered that Hisana was even paler than she used to be; she always said she doesn't belong to the high life but at the same time she always tried to please the nobles with her gracefulness and politeness. She was so beautiful in her traditional white kimono, not looking up for a moment; Byakuya vividly remembered her lovely eyelashes, which were like two crescent-shaped black flower petals on her pale face.

He let out yet another deep sigh. _The petals are no more _– he said to himself – _I must go back to my own world._

"No, I wasn't bored at all, Masato-san! My guardian angel kept me company."

As he heard this, he suddenly stopped in his track and his eyes widened.

"Oh, erm… really?" the man sounded puzzled, but the woman quickly nodded and replied:

"Yes, he's right over there!"

Byakuya shivered; he didn't dare to turn around. He wished from the depths of his heart that the woman would point, or at least, look at him, but then again, what would he gain from that? This isn't Hisana any more… he can't let himself be consumed by a mere human…

"I call him Black-sama. Though you know, Masato-san, he has this wonderful white scarf…"

Byakuya turned around in an instant and glared at the woman. She was looking directly at him this time, he had no doubts about that, and she was wearing that sweet, sad smile…

"Is your angel a he? I though angels don't have genders!" Masato laughed as he lifted the last vase to carry it inside.

Hatsumi's voice lowered to a whisper "Yes, he is a man, but he's more beautiful than most women. His face is the noblest that I've ever seen, and he usually looks very strict and cold… But not now…"

"Usually?" the man came outside, raising his eyebrows "How long have you been seeing this… _thing_…?"

"I sometimes see him in my dreams" the woman smiled at him "But now he looks so sad, Masato-san…"

"Well, I think he already knows that you have a new guardian – me!" with that he suddenly embraced her and placed a kiss on her neck.

"Masato-san, please stop…" she muttered embarrassed and blushed beet red but didn't push the man away.

"Isn't it okay?" he whispered smiling "No one's here and we'll be married in a few months…"

"But… _he_'s watching… I don't…"

"Hatsumi, stop this childishness… oh, I've got an idea" and a wide grin appeared on his face "let's go inside, and… well let your new guardian make you feel good."

"Masato-san, you're embarrassing me" she muttered as he placed a kiss on her face, but, again, didn't push him away and followed him inside the small flower shop.

Byakuya stood there startled even when the two of them locked the door and no other noise was heard; but he knew perfectly what was going on inside…  
He clenched his fist so hard that his fingers went white and turned away his head with anger and disgust.  
Hisana would never do such a filthy thing with another man…  
But… if this isn't Hisana, why is he so upset?

That was the worst part of it all: now he didn't know for sure whether this was still Hisana or not. But something deep inside him told him that somewhere under the human flesh this is still his late wife.  
But he had to be sure about that.  
And if… if this woman was truly Hisana… Byakuya knew that he'd never let another man have her – not in this life, nor in the other.

_To be continued…_

_Quite a short chapter, sorry about that… in return, I'll try to update a bit more frequently!_


	4. Chapter 4

_OMG I haven't updated in more than a month, so sorry minna…  
And now such a short chapter…. T.T  
I won't be surprised if you'd hate me… but I'm trying really hard to make this a complete story, really!  
Please, enjoy, and bar with my possible grammar mistakes!_

„Kuchiki-taichou…"

He looked up from the letter he was writing and saw Chiyo kneeling in the doorway. He slowly put away his brush and ink, not even looking at the young woman as he coldly asked "Your report?"

"The wedding… it has been cancelled." She said hoarsely, bowing her head; she did yet not know whether this was good or bad news. It was for the best to remain silent and wait for his response. A slight tinkling noise was heard and she looked up to find that Byakuya had spilt the ink on his snow-white kimono. Chiyo let out a gasp but Byakuya didn't say anything for a long, long time. He was just staring at his stained kimono, like he did with many things, when he heard about Hisana… or, to be correct, from the woman, who looked like Hisana.

"I understand." He then said calmly "Please call a maid, I need to change my clothes. Wait for me in the garden."

"Yes, Captain." and with that she quickly closed the door and ran off to fetch a maid; but in the inside she was trembling: if this hadn't been good news, this wouldn't have been Byakuya's reaction.

It seemed a whole eternity until Byakuya finally stepped outside the house and looked at Chiyo. She didn't even wait for a question but started talking, although it was quite rude from her; but she didn't care the least bit.

"As I predicted, quite many hollows had sensed her strange reiatsu… She had seen them for weeks now, and I believe it was hard for her to bear with the thought that monsters are following her---- erm, of course I eliminated all of them, Taichou!" she quickly added, and Byakuya turned away from her, and was now looking at the brilliant blue pond "But… the people around her didn't seem to tolerate her behavior… She then tried to ignore the ghosts and hollows, but repressing her ability seemingly made her see them more frequently. I believe she even saw me after a certain point, so I tried to hide from her… and… erm… Taichou?" she wasn't certain he was still listening.

"That man cancelled the wedding because he thought she was insane?" Byakuya asked in an unconcerned tone, and even when he heard the quiet "Yes", he did not move even a muscle but kept staring at the pond, thinking.

What should he do? Wasn't this the moment he was waiting for? It almost seemed at a strange twist of fate that _she_ was abandoned by that bastard, but… he was not yet sure whether he should respond to this kind of twist.  
The honor of the Kuchikis… that is one fragile thing and he could not allow himself to trample upon it. But still… he still remembered how hard it was at times not to tell Rukia the truth about her sister… and when she was almost executed, he couldn't even look her in the eye. Back then he thought he did the right thing, but he was proved wrong by that ryoka boy… maybe… just maybe, he shouldn't always choose the family. Maybe sometimes he should choose his own life and make his own decisions…

"Captain… what are you going to do…?" Chiyo muttered slowly; not being able to stand his silence any more.

Byakuya didn't answer, because it was a very interesting question indeed. What should he do?  
As he kept thinking, a slight breeze blew across the garden, and made a few plum blossoms fall upon the surface of the water. As the feeble colored, small petals touched the water, Byakuya made his decision.

* * *

Hatsumi was all alone in her poorly lit, small room, kneeling next to the table and quietly crying when Byakuya entered the room.  
He only watched her for a few moments, but could imagine, what she felt. Losing everything you had… the promise of a family… losing a loved one. He felt the same more than fifty years ago, when Hisana left her… but this was slightly different.  
The poor creature was abandoned by the foolish likes of a scum who can't even call himself a man. How pitiful she was at that moment… she never looked like this before; even on her deathbed she was fragile and pale, like and angel… she even went away with a smile…

But now she was crying her eyes out for… for THAT man!!

"Who's there?" she suddenly turned around, wiping away the tears and looked at Byakuya with red, sorrowful eyes. She was so desperate that she only noticed him now "You… my… guardian… angel…" her eyes became watery once again and she bowed her head, placing her gentle, trembling little hand on her eyes "Why are you now here…? Why now…? Couldn't you have come sooner…? Why now…?" she couldn't continue, jut kept crying for a few minutes, which seemed a whole eternity for Byakuya. He was so stunned that he couldn't even move or say a word – he never expected this from his Hisana… the once polite and shy, still very strong Hisana…

"Forgive me" the woman whispered "I should be thankful… at least you're here… at least by my side… thank you… thank—" Byakuya couldn't stand it any longer; he fell on his knees and embraced the woman tightly. Hatsumi's eyes widened as she felt the unexpected touch and whispered: "How could you… touch me…?"

"I still love you Hisana!" Byakuya suddenly said in his cold, still soft voice "I love you more, than fifty years ago… Don't leave me again… Don't… don't cry for that man's sake!"

"Ah…" she was speechless; the man's strange warmth overwhelmed her, made her heart beat faster and her tears slowly dried up. She slowly embraced him too, and they stayed this way and didn't say or do anything for the longest time.

_To be continued…_

_I have some serious drama turns in my head, so be prepared! (And pray that I get the inspiration I need :P )_


End file.
